Accessor.h

/*
 * Accessor.h
 *
 *  Created on: Jun 09, 2016
 *      Author: Martin Hierholzer
 */

#ifndef CHIMERATK_ACCESSOR_H
#define CHIMERATK_ACCESSOR_H

#include <string>

#include <ControlSystemAdapter/ProcessArray.h>
#include <mtca4u/RegisterPath.h>

#include "Application.h"
#include "ApplicationModule.h"

namespace ChimeraTK {

  using namespace mtca4u;

  /*********************************************************************************************************************/

  // stupid temporary base class for accessors, which is not templated @todo TODO replace with proper class structure
  class AccessorBase {
    public:
      virtual ~AccessorBase() {}

      /** Check if this accessor is a output or input variable, from the point-of-view of the ApplicationModule
       *  owning the instance of the Accessor */
      virtual bool isOutput() = 0;

      /** Return if the accessor is properly initialised. It is initialised if it was constructed passing the pointer
       *  to an implementation (a NDRegisterAccessor), it is not initialised if it was constructed only using the
       *  placeholder constructor without arguments. */
      virtual bool isInitialised() const = 0;

      /** Use a ProcessVariable as implementation. */
      virtual void useProcessVariable(boost::shared_ptr<ProcessVariable> &var) = 0;

      /* Obtain the type info of the UserType */
      virtual const std::type_info& getValueType() const = 0;

      /** Obtain direction of the accessor */
      virtual VariableDirection getDirection() const = 0;
  };

  /*********************************************************************************************************************/

  template< typename UserType >
  class Accessor : public AccessorBase {

    public:

      /** The default accessor takes no arguments and leaves the accessor uninitialised. It will be dysfunctional
       *  until it is properly initialised using connectTo(). */
      Accessor(ApplicationModule *owner, const std::string &name, VariableDirection direction, std::string unit,
          UpdateMode mode)
      : _owner(owner), _name(name), _direction(direction), _unit(unit), _mode(mode)
      {};

      /** Connect the accessor to another accessor */
      template< typename UserType_o >
      void connectTo(Accessor<UserType_o> &targetAccessor);

      /** Publish the variable to the control system under the given name */
      void publish(const std::string& name);

      /** Connect variable to a device register */